Ventilating wall block



Aug. 21, 1951 N. cowAN VENTILATING WALL BLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 19, 1947 Aug. 21, 1951 N, COWAN 2,565,122

VENTILTING- WALL BLOCK Filed March 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @E f @aww/;

Patented Aug. 2T, 1951 OFFICE".`

VENTILATING WALL BLOCK Nathan Cowan, Melrose Park, Ill., assigner to `Air Rectiiiers, Inc.

Application March 19, 1947, Serial No. '235,719

5 Claims.

This invention is directed to Ventilating wall blocks adapted to be incorporated in walls formed of light transmitting blocks, such as glass blocks.

The principal object of this invention is to provide wall blocks capable of being incorporated in walls formed of light transmitting blocks which conform in size and appearance to such light transmitting blocks, which also provide light transmission, which are provided with means for permitting air to pass therethrough for ventilation purposes and for controlling the passage of air therethrough, which are provided with means for preventing water and rain from passing therethrough, which are provided with means for preventing insects from passing therethrough, and which are adapted for use in straight walls, gently curving walls and in sharply curving walls.

Further objects of this invention reside in the details of construction of the component parts of the Ventilating blocks and the cooperative relation therebetween.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims, and drawing in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a Ventilating wall block adapted to be incorporated in straight walls;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partial sectional View taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a side flange showing the manner in which the louvers are held in place;

Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a Ventilating block capable for use in gently curving walls;

Figure 6 is a plan View partly in section of the Ventilating block of Fig. 5;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of a Ventilating block capable for use in sharply curving walls; and

Figure 8 is a plan View partly in section of the Ventilating block of Fig. '7.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, the Ventilating block capable for use in straight walls is generally designated at I and it includes a hollow body II, preferably cast of aluminum, a front panel I2 secured to the front thereof, and a rear panel I3 secured to the rear thereof. The iront and rear panels are also preferably cast of aluminum. The front and rear of the hollow body II are provided with faces I and I6 against which the panels I2 and I3 engage respectively.

rlhe outside of the hollowbody lII isfpreferably provided with corrugations Il whereby thevbody may be rmly cemented in place in the wall. The

interior of the hollow body l I is provided with an internal shoulder I8.

The front panel I2 has upper and/lower flanges 2li cast integrally therewith, and the ends of these flanges are provided with tapped holes 2I. rllhe flanges 2] are adapted to be received in the hollow body I I when the iront panel l2 is brought adjacent the face I5 of the hollow body I I. Separate side flanges 22 are provided andthese side, flanges have holes 23 registering with the tappedV holes 2i of the top and bottom flanges 2G. K The side flanges 22 are provided with hooked supports 24 for receiving louvers 25. preferably made of glass or other light transmittinggnaterial" lhe'louvers 25 are inserted between the hooked supports 2li, and then the side flanges 22 aresecured byrscrews 26 to the top and bottom flangesZll. The Vflanges land 22 of the front panel I2 are then inserted in the hollow body II and the front panel I2 is secured to the face I5 of the hollow body I I by means of screws 28 screwed into tapped holes 2l inthe hollow body I I.

The louvers 25 overlap each other and prevent rain and water from entering the hollow body I I. and because they are made of a light transmitting material, light passes therethrough.

Located between the shoulder I8 and the flanges 2l) and 22 is a screen 3E! carried by a frame 3 I, and this screen operates to prevent insects and the like from entering the interior of the hollow body. II. The shoulder I8 retains the louvers 25 and screen 30 in place.

The rear panel I3 has secured thereto a transverse strip 33 and also four brackets 34 for.hold. ing pivots 35. Other brackets adjacent the brackets 34 are carried by the pivots 35 and are secured to a frame 36 carrying glass doors 3'I. The pivots 35, therefore, pivotally mount the glass doors 31 on the rear panel'I3, and the doors mayv be swung open or closed about these pivots. Thel strip 33 operates to limit the closing movement of the glass doors. The sides and bottomoffthe top door and the sides and top ofthe bottom door are provided with resilient weather-stripping edges 3B formed on the door flanges 3S to prevent leakage of air therearound when the doors areolosed. 'I'hin metal strips 39 are provided for. the top and bottom edges of. the rear panel I3 and are held in place by screws it which secure the rear panel I3 to the hollow body II. The strips 39 provide Weatherproongstrips forthe The louvers 25 are` top of the top door 31 and the bottom of the bottom door 31 and they also operate in conjunction with the strip 33 for limiting the closing movement of the doors. The hollow body ll is provided'with recesses 4I for receiving the ends of the strip 33 and with recesses 42 for receiving the pivot brackets 34. Preferably these recesses 4I and 42, in addition to being provided in the side walls of the hollow body II, are provided in the top and bottom Walls of the hollow body I I so that the strip 33 and the doors 31 may be vertically arranged rather than horizontally arranged. This is made possible by reason of these recesses and by reason of the fact that the hollow body II is square.

The doors operate to regulate the passage of air through the hollow block Il and hence regulate the ventilation, and since the doors are made of glass or similar light transmitting material, light is permitted to pass'through the Ventilating block I0. The general configuration of the Ventilating block is similar to that of a conventional glass block utilized in forming glass block walls, and since the Ventilating block passes light almost as readily as does the conventional glass block, the

ventilting block harmonizes well with the glass block and, at the same time, provides for ventila tion.

In Figs. and 6, a Ventilating block generally designated at is of the type capable for use in gently curving walls. This Ventilating block includes a hollow body I I and a rear panel I3 which may be the same as those of Fig. l. Here again a front panel 46 is utilized which has extended side edges 41 which permit the use of the ventilating bloclr` in gently curving walls. In other Words, the Width of the frontsof theventilating block is greater than the `Width of the rear, thus adapting the block for gently curving walls. The space between the sides of the blocks are nlled with cement. Otherwise', the front panel assembly 46 may be thesame as the front panel I2 of Figs. l to 4. On the other hand, the front panel assembly 46 may be of a different form, which is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Here the front panel assembly may beprovided with vertically arranged louvers 48 rather than the horizontal ones of'Figs. l to 4. If vertically arranged louvers are utilized, then it is desirable to provide a vertical strip 49 between the upper and lower sides of the shoulder I8 to prevent the direct passage of air or draft through the Ventilating block 45.

Figures '1 and 8 illustrate a Ventilating block capable for use in sharply curving walls. The Ventilating block'is generally= designated at V55 andinclude's a vhollow body-*56 having diverging side walls` 51 .and anarcuately shaped internal shoulder 58. The outer surface of thehollow body'56 may, beprovided with co'rrugations 59. The front of the Ventilating block 56 is provided with an arcuate front v-panel .60 carrying vertically arranged louvers 62;. :The front panel lis held in place by screws 6I. Therear of the hollow body 56 is'provided with a'rear panel 63 heldV in place byscrews 64. A vertically arranged door S5 is piVotedjby-pivots 66 to the rear panel 63 and preferably the frame of the door 65 is provided with weatherstripping 61.` Located between the louvers 62 and the internal vshoulder 58 is Van arcuate screen-68; and a vertical strip 69 fmaybe eX- tended between the upper and lower edges of the internal shoulder 58 to prevent the direct passage of lair .anddraftj through thezventilating block` 55.-`

The same features and advantages occurring i in the Ventilating block of Figs. l to 4 are also afforded by the Ventilating blocks of Figs. 5 to 8.

While for purposes of illustration, various forms of this invention have been disclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to this disclosure and, therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims and prior art.

I claim for my invention:

1. A light transmitting and Ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow body open at its front and rear and of a size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, a plurality of aligned and facing louver supports carried within and on opposite sides of the open front of the hollow body, a plurality of light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and removably carried by the louver supports, an internal shoulder within the hollow body intermediate the front and rear thereof for retaining the louvers in the louvei` supports, a screen within the hollow body engaging and secured against the internal shoulder, a light transmitting door, and aligned and facing pivot means at opposite sides of the open rear of the hollow body for pivotally supporting the door.

2. A light transmitting and Ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an open front panel secured. to the front of the hollow body and provided with flanges entering the open front of the hollowobody, said flanges having aligned and facing louver supports, a plurality of light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and carried by the louver supports of the i flanges, an internal shoulder in the hollow body adjacent the flanges of the front panel, a screen secured between the shoulder and the flanges, an open rear panel secured to the rear of the hollow body, and a light transmitting door pivotally carried by the rear panel.

3. A light transmitting and Ventilating wall block for walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an open front panel secured to the front of the hollow body and provided with flanges entering the open front of the hollow body, said flanges having aligned and facing louver supports, a plurality of light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and carried by the louver supports of the flanges, an internal shoulder in the hollow body adjacent the flanges of the front panel, a screen secured between the shoulders and the flanges, an open rear panel secured to the rear of the hollow body, a pair of light transmitting doors pivotally carried by the real` panel, and a transverse strip on the rear panel for limiting the movement of the doors.

4. A light transmitting and Ventilating wall block for gently curving walls formed of light transmitting blocks comprising a substantially rectangular hollow body open at its front and rear and of the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, an open front panel secured to the front of f the hollow body and extending beyond the sides of the hollow body and provided with flanges entering the open front of the hollow body, said fianges having aligned and facing louver supports, a pluralityof light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and carried by the louver supports of the flanges, an internal shoulder in the hollow body adjacent the flanges of the front panel, a screen secured between the shoulders and the flanges, an open rear panel secured to the rear of the hollow body and conforming to the dimensions of the hollow body, and a light transmitting door pivotally carried by the rear panel.

5. A light transmitting and Ventilating wall block for a sharply curving wall formed of light transmitting blocks comprising, a hollow body open at its front and rear and having diverging sides, a wide front and a narrow rear and corresponding to the size of a light transmitting block and adapted to be incorporated as a block in the wall, a wide open front panel secured to the front of the hollow body and provided with flanges entering the open front of the hollow body, said flanges having aligned and facing louver supports, a plurality of light transmitting louvers having their ends received in and carried by the louver supports of the flanges, an internal shoulder in the hollow body adjacent the flanges of the front panel, a screen secured between the shoul- 6 ders and the flanges, a narrow open rear panel secured to the rear of the hollow body, and a light transmitting door pivotally carried by the rear panel.

5 NATHAN CCWAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

10 UNTTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 104,486 Murphy June 21, 1870 872,979 Townsend Dec. 3, 1907 15 1,204,321 Shipp NOV. 7, 1916 1,493,875 Frederick May 13, 1924 1,705,418 Rosell Mar. 12, 1929 1,816,769 Fisk July 28, 1931 2,092,673 Kempf Sept. 7, 1937 20 2,132,263 Hambleton Oct. 4, 1938 2,273,758 Kubatzky Feb. 17, 1942 2,390,394 Smith Dec. 4, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 Number CountryV Date 161,314 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1921 405,785 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1934 

